UK/INTERNATIONAL. Digital vouchering platform iCoupon has reported winning 31 new travel retail contracts in the last few months of this year. Its technology enables boarding passes to be automatically ‘loaded’ with any value which can then be redeemed at participating retailers.
iCoupon said its recent successes underscore the importance of the role that technology and digital solutions are playing in the development of the travel industry.
Since September, the company has secured contracts with eight travel retailers and expanded its presence by a further 18 airports (taking its footprint to more than 170 airports), as well as adding five new airlines to its client list.
The recent business wins include contracts with SSP at Hong Kong, Larnaca and Cebu airports; Veermat at Eindhoven Airport; TGI Fridays and Civitano at Lima Airport; Lagardère Travel Retail at Hamburg and Berlin Brandenburg airports; Autogrill at Duesseldorf Airport; Marche Moevenpick at Leipzig/Halle, Hannover and Nuremburg airports; and Greek F&B company Vivartia at Athens, Heraklion, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Chania, Mykonos and Rhodes airports.
Recent airline wins include Norwegian Air; Widerøe, which serves over 40 domestic and international destinations and is the largest regional airline operating in the Nordics; and KLM subsidiary Transavia in the Netherlands and its French subsidiary Transavia France.
KLM and Air France already administer vouchers with iCoupon, along with over 100 other airlines.
iCoupon CEO Richard Bye said: “Technology integration throughout the airport journey is now expected as standard by most travellers. When that journey is disrupted or delayed by cancelled flights, a seamless customer experience is even more essential for keeping up with heightened demand on staff, ensuring that essential regulatory requirements – such as EU261 – are adhered to and for maintaining customer loyalty.
“With corporate social responsibility adding new pressures, there is also a greater need for tangible, positive action. iCoupon enables its users to bolster their environmental credentials by removing the need for single-use paper vouchers, making the process of issuing vouchers more streamlined and sustainable.
“The increasing digitalisation of the airport space is shifting consumer expectations. Convenience, personalisation and automation are now expected for all transactions – and vouchering should be no different.
“It’s become critical that airlines and retailers reflect on the needs and expectations of prospective customers as they compete to win back loyalty. Our latest contract wins with leading travel retailers and airlines serve to enhance the service level at airports for the end-user, while simultaneously streamlining airport operations.”
